1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a cooling apparatus for maintaining comestible products in a cooled state during the course of being consumed. More particularly, the present invention relates to cooling apparatus installed in support surfaces on which receptacles containing comestible products are rested during the course of the products being consumed.
2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art
Comestible products such as beverages and food are normally placed in or on receptacles such as conventional drinkware and tableware that hold the comestible products during the course or process of the products being consumed by individuals. Beverages, for example, are commonly placed in a drinking receptacle that is grasped by the individual with the hand and brought to the mouth to allow the beverage to be ingested. Representative drinking receptacles include cans, glasses, bottles, mugs and cups, which may be made from various materials. During the course or process of comestible products being consumed, the receptacles containing the comestible products are ordinarily rested upon flat or horizontal support surfaces of support structures such as tables, counters and bars. Oftentimes comestible products are consumed at a leisurely or slow pace, especially in social situations and/or to extend the pleasure and enjoyment associated with the consumption of the comestible products. Accordingly, a considerable period of time can elapse during the course or process of a comestible product being consumed by an individual. Bars in particular present a situation where beverages are normally consumed over a considerable period of time due to the relaxed social atmosphere associated with bars, the recreational and entertainment benefits derived from bars, the personal enjoyment experienced by bar patrons, and the prudence of consuming alcoholic beverages at a slow pace. During the course of beverages being consumed by individuals at bars and similar establishments, the drinking receptacles containing the beverages typically remain rested upon the support surface for relatively long segments of time between relatively short segments of time during which the drinking receptacles are removed from the surface by the individuals and brought to the mouth to be actively ingested. In the case of bars, the support surface is ordinarily a bar top or counter top associated with chairs or stools to provide seating for a plurality of individuals at locations along the support surface.
Many comestible products, including many various beverages commonly served at bars, are intended to be consumed and/or taste best when consumed while in a cooled or chilled state that is colder than the temperature of the ambient environment. In addition, many comestible products, including various beverages, are perishable or contain ingredients susceptible to spoilage if not maintained in a cooled or chilled state. However, thermal transfer with the ambient environment results in loss or diminishment of the cooled or chilled state for the comestible products and makes it difficult to retain the products in their cooled or chilled state throughout the course or process of the products being consumed. Comestible products that are initially in a cooled or chilled state at the beginning of the course or process of being consumed by individuals will thusly become warmer during the time that elapses until the course or process of being consumed is terminated or completed, resulting in decreased satisfaction and enjoyment for the individuals as well as possible spoilage of the comestible products. Where the cooled or chilled comestible products are consumed over a considerable period of time, as is typical for cooled or chilled beverages served at bars and similar establishments, the problem of retaining the cooled or chilled state of the products throughout the course or process of being consumed is made more difficult. Furthermore, the preferred temperature for the cooled or chilled state for many comestible products, including many cooled or chilled beverages, is significantly colder or lower than the temperature of the ambient environment and may be close to freezing temperature. Since comestible products are most commonly consumed in indoor environments having ambient temperatures in the normal room temperature range, a large temperature differential may exist between the ambient temperature and the preferred temperature for the cooled or chilled state of the comestible products, which adds to the difficulty of maintaining the cooled or chilled state of the products. Bars and similar establishments are commonly located in indoor environments and are sometimes located in warmer outdoor environments where there is an even greater differential between the ambient temperature and the preferred temperature for the cooled or chilled state of the beverages.
Another problem associated with the thermal transfer that occurs between cooled or chilled comestible products and the ambient environment is that the receptacles containing the cooled or chilled comestible products may “sweat” due to condensation formed on the outer surfaces of the receptacles. In the case of drinking receptacles and other receptacles that are commonly grasped by individuals with the hand, the presence of condensation on the receptacles may make the receptacles slippery to the hand and may present a risk that the receptacles will be dropped. A receptacle that is dropped because of the slipperiness caused by condensation is problematic due to the comestible product being lost through spillage, the potential damage to clothing and nearby objects from contact with the spilled product, and/or the potential personal injury and/or property damage in the event of breakage or shattering of the receptacle. When a receptacle that has condensation thereon is manually grasped by an individual with the hand, some of the condensation will ordinarily be transferred to the hand resulting in discomfort and annoyance for the individual. Furthermore, when a receptacle that has condensation thereon is rested upon a support surface, some of the condensation may be transferred to the support surface. The condensation that is transferred from a receptacle to the support surface may create a messy situation requiring that the moisture be wiped away from the support surface and, depending on the material from which the support surface is made, the moisture could cause damage to the support surface. The presence of condensation on receptacles may also cause the receptacles to be slippery with respect to the support surface, such that the receptacles may slide on the support surface or otherwise become unstable and present a risk of toppling or tipping over.
It is common for beverages to be placed in drinking receptacles along with ice in an attempt to keep the beverages cold during the course or process of being consumed. The ice, however, will nonetheless melt over time, causing the beverages to become warmer. Furthermore, the water that results from melting of the ice dilutes the beverages and consequently impairs the taste and flavor of the beverages. Drinking receptacles containing beverages and ice are also particularly susceptible to “sweating” with its attendant disadvantages. Some drinking receptacles, such as cans and bottles, are not designed to have ice placed therein due to the fact that standard ice cubes are too large to fit through the access openings of the receptacles. In order for canned and bottled beverages to be served with ice, the beverages must be poured from the cans or bottles into other drinking receptacles that have access openings large enough to accommodate the introduction of ice. It has also been proposed to serve beverages in pre-chilled drinking receptacles, but this approach has disadvantages similar to those of drinking receptacles containing beverages and ice.
It has been proposed to provide bar tops with ice “rails” or “spots” comprising containers that are filled with water, which is then frozen in order to cool beverages contained in receptacles placed in the containers. Ice “rails” or “spots” develop an increasing ice build-up that requires regular scraping to remove the excess ice. Receptacles placed on ice “rails” or “spots” in order to cool the beverages therein tend to slide on the slippery surfaces of the ice “rails” or “spots”. Moreover, the temperature of ice being about 31° F. limits the thermal heat loss from the beverages and, therefore, limits the temperature or extent to which the beverages can be cooled. Ice “ovals” that accommodate the drinking receptacles of a plurality of individuals have also been proposed for use in bars. In addition to having disadvantages similar to those of ice “rails” or “spots”, ice “ovals” being designed for group use limits the bar patron's freedom to choose where to sit or stand and also creates possible confusion as to the ownership of the various drinking receptacles placed thereon.
Another approach to maintaining the cooled state of beverages consumed in bars involves the use of cold plates that are placed in a freezer in order to be chilled and are then set on the bar top in order to support drinking receptacles thereon. The cold plates become warmer with the elapse of time and need to be rechilled on a regular frequent basis. In addition, the cold plates “sweat”, which may create a slippery surface for the drinking receptacles thereon and may cause moisture to be transferred from the cold plates onto the bar top.
Refrigerated surfaces for comestible products or for receptacles containing comestible products are represented by U.S. Pat. No. Re. 17,586 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,552,949 to Platten, U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,096 to Warren, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,085,535, 6,145,333 and 6,434,961 to Richmond et al, and by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0066683 A1 to Schwictenberg et al. U.S. Pat. No. Re. 17,586 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,552,949 to Platten and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0066683 A1 to Schwictenberg et al pertain to refrigerated surfaces on which food is prepared or displayed. The Platten patents relate to a refrigerated counter that is cooled by a network of cooling pipes in heat transfer relation with a lower surface of the counter. Heat is conducted through the counter itself to the network of cooling pipes, and the arrangement of the cooling pipes beneath the counter results in uneven or non-uniform cooling of the upper surface of the counter on which food is intended to be displayed. The Schwictenberg et al patent application publication pertains to a refrigerated work surface that is in principle similar to that of the Platten patents. Schwictenberg et al relies on the restricted circulation of a liquid coolant, which can be glycol, through a cooling element disposed beneath the work surface. The use of glycol as a cooling medium for food containers is illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,085,535, 6,145,333 and 6,434,961 B2 to Richmond et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,096 to Warren. The Platten, Warren and Richmond et al patents and the Schwictenberg patent application publication intentionally restrict or constrain the flow of fluidic coolant by causing it to flow in a circuitous path through and/or around narrow structures such as tubes, coils, pans, baffles and the like. The Richmond et al patents are illustrative of devices in which liquid glycol in contact with the refrigerated surface is cooled by a fluidic coolant circulating through tubes, but the glycol itself does not circulate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,963 B2 to Surber et al pertains to a speed rail for use behind a bar to store and chill beverage containers prior to being served to patrons. The speed rail includes a housing defining a chamber for holding a plurality of beverage containers and a refrigeration system for supplying a heat transfer medium to a fluid passageway within the interior of the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,959,941 to McDonald is representative of an apparatus used to chill beverage glasses prior to the beverage glasses being supplied with a beverage. The glasses are required to be placed in an inverted or upside down orientation on refrigerated arbors complementary in shape to the interior of the glasses.